Dragon Age: Old Gods and New Demons
by Zaremar22
Summary: This takes place after the events of Awakening. Grey Warden Commander Maleth Surana has been having disturbing dreams about Morrigan and they are only getting worse. He is determined to find her and his child as a powerful an new force arises.
1. Flashbacks And Nightmares

Dragon Age:

Old Gods and New Demons

**Notices and maybe spoilers:**

**Mhairi does not die during her joining.**

**All the recruits remain at Vigil's Keep after the events in Awakenings. (I think that's about it)**

The demonic looking dragon opened its mouth spitting out a ball of fire. Maleth dodged it but just barely. The two other mages, Wynne and Morrigan were near him.

Darkspawn were still pouring onto the roof of Fort Drakon. The other warriors held them at bay. Maleth had something else more important to deal with; the Archdemon.

Morrigan summoned a ball of energy and threw it at the Archdemon's face.

"Take that you foul loathsome creature!"

The Archdemon's mouth began to light up. Maleth realized that it was preparing a powerful attack.

"Morrigan move!" Maleth yelled but it was too late. Blackened fire erupted from its mouth. Maleth, with his staff in his hand ran in Morrigan's direction. He held his staff in front of himself just in time as the fiery blaze slammed into a force field.

"Wynne, you and Morrigan come closer. I have to close the force field." They followed Maleth's command.

The Archdemon kept its attack focused on the mages. Maleth started to feel the strain of the force field he erected. He knew he could not keep it in place forever. He dropped down on one knee as the strain became greater.

Suddenly he felt his strength stabilize. Then, slowly but surely his strength began to increase. He couldn't look back but it knew it was Wynne's doing. Morrigan was a powerful witch but healing was not her strong point.

"We cannot stay inside here forever." Wynne's stern voice came from behind him.

"I agree." Maleth said while maintaining complete focus on the force field.

"And this demon's power shows no signs of letting up. We need a plan." The Senior Enchanter sounded desperate and she had every right to be. If they didn't do something soon, they would all die a painful fiery death and all they had been through would have been in vain.

"I, as usual, have an idea and we must all work together to accomplish it." Morrigan said in her usual know-it-all tone. "Wynne you shall overload the force field with as much telekinetic energy you can gather. This should send a wave of energy outward stunning our foes for a time. Meanwhile I shall use a particularly useful ice spell that I learned from Flemeth. Are we understood?"

Wynne nodded in agreement.

Morrigan's plan seemed conceivable. Maleth was actually impressed with her skills. He'd have to tell her later…_If there is a later._ He thought

Morrigan began reciting the incantation to her spell. Meanwhile Wynne was drawing on power for hers. Maleth hoped they would be ready soon because he was definitely starting to tire.

"Wynne now!" Morrigan yelled. Wynne brought her staff to the ground hard sending a powerful wave of telekinetic energy outward causing Maleth to fall to the ground in fatigue. The wave was strong enough to reverse the stream of fire from the Archdemon while stunning nearby darkspawn.

Morrigan, channeling her powers through her staff, released the strongest ice spell Maleth had ever witnessed. Strong gusts of ice cold air and dagger sharp spears of ice rushed toward the Archdemon's face. It roared and howled in pain as the ice cut its skin.

Maleth looked around for Alistair, the only other Grey Warden who could kill the beast. He seen him engaged with Genlock. "Alistair the Archdemon is weakened! Attack him now!"

Alistair nodded as he decapitated the Genlock and began running toward the Archdemon. Alistair used the Archdemon's forearms as leverage to hop onto its back. He took the sword he carried and embedded in the Archdemon neck.

This sent the Archdemon into a rage. It stood on its hind legs failing and thrashing about causing Alistair to fall.

Maleth gathered his strength and reached out with his power to telekinetically slow Alistair's fall.

"Attack it with lighting! Aim for the sword!" Maleth shouted to Morrigan and Wynne.

Maleth and Wynne attacked at the same time. A single stream of lightning burst from both of their staves. Morrigan was gathering her power. When she released it, it came forth as a mighty lightning storm.

The Archdemon roared a final time before it collapsed to the ground unmoving. Maleth blinked. The Archdemon was finally dead. All of Ferelden was saved. Without warning a blast of energy escaped from the Archdemon's body sweeping outward. Maleth knew he was falling but never felt himself hit the ground.

When he came to he was no longer atop Fort Drakon surrounded by fighting and darkspawn. He found himself alone in dark room made of stone. Then he heard a woman's laughter.

_Morrigan! I know her voice anywhere._ "Morrigan!" He called out into the darkness.

"Yes darling, it is I. Did you miss me?" The disembodied voice said.

"Why did you leave so suddenly? Why did you hide yourself from me? And where is our child!" Maleth could feel the anger rising up inside him.

"So many questions. Don't worry they will all be answered in time. And for the record I do not hide myself from you." She stepped out from the darkness wearing a black sheer gown.

Maleth eyes went straight to her stomach. It was flat! "You aren't pregnant! You lied to me!"

Morrigan laughed harder now. "My dear I thought you smarter than that. If I was not pregnant how did you survive the Archdemon then? Hmm?"

Maleth could not answer her question.

"The…child is merely resting. Nevertheless he shall awaken soon." She smiled

Maleth shivered. He did not like the sound of that one bit. "I'll find him and save him from you."

Morrigan continued to smile. "Oh I'm sure you will." She turned away from him. "Maleth you must save me. Save my soul!" She sounded so scared and childlike. Both were unusual for Morrigan.

Maleth moved slowly toward her. "What do you mean, save your soul?"

She did not move nor did she answer.

He placed his hand on her shoulder. She spun around with a supernatural reflex. She had become some sort of winged demon. She raised her clawed hand a swiped Maleth in the face. Everything went dark.


	2. A Meeting of the Wardens

Maleth awoke from his sleep. He looked around find that he was still in hi room at Vigil's Keep and he was alone. He sat on the edge of his bed and rubbed his temples.

That dream was most unsettling. Why was Morrigan there? And what did she mean about saving her soul?

He grabbed his night robe from a nearby chair and covered himself. He walked over to the window and opened the curtains. He could see the sun peeking up over the horizon.

What could it mean? Is there a real meaning behind this dream? He scoffed at himself. If there was one thing I learned in the Circle as a mage; you never disregarded a dream.

A light knock on his bedroom door snapped him out of his daydream. The door creaked open a Mhairi peeked her head in. "Sorry to bother you Commander Maleth, but Ser Varel, Lady Woolsey and the other Wardens have gathered in the meeting room and are awaiting your arrival."

Maleth's attention was still on the sun's slow rise. "I will be down shortly Mhairi."

She gave a quick nod and closed the door.

Although Mhairi was also a Warden she often acted as a personal assistant to Maleth. He had told her many times that there was no need to go through the hassle. But her response was always the same: "You are a Hero of Ferelden. You have risked your life to save other's. At the very least I can aid you however I can."

Maleth found that one Mhairi's mind was made up there was no changing it.

He walked over to the armoire and opened it. Inside were his various robes. He grabbed one his old Circle robes and put it on. Beside his armoire was his faithful staff. It was almost like a close friend. It was designed to naturally augment his magical abilities, but it was also useful as a combat staff. Maleth prided himself on being a mage who was not afraid of physical combat. If for some reason his powers should fail him, he could still defend himself.

He headed to the meeting room. As he entered, his fellow companions were all talking among themselves. He looked at the crew of people assembled before him.

Anders was a fellow mage of the Circle who had managed to escape numerous times. During his final escape the Templars stopped past Vigil's Keep on their way to the Circle when the darkspawn attacked. They killed the Templars leaving Anders alone until Maleth and Mhairi showed up. After Vigil's Keep was saved Maleth conscripted Anders to the Grey Wardens. There was something about Anders that reminded Maleth of his old friend and fellow Grey Warden, Alistair Theiren.

Justice originally was a benevolent spirit of the Fade but through a strange twist of fate and magic he came to posses the dead body of a Grey Warden named Kristoff. Because of his condition, Justice has taken to wearing heavy armor and covered helms

Velanna is a Dailish eleven mage who sought revenge on the humans she believed murdered members of her tribe. With Maleth's help she soon discovered that the humans were framed for the murders by the darkspawn. Ever since that discovery Velanna joined the Grey Wardens in an attempt to right her past wrongs.

Sigrun is a caste-less dwarven warrior who is also a member of the Legion of the Dead. She was rescued by Maleth and the Wardens from the darkspawn in the Deep Roads. Together she and the Wardens purged the dwarven city of Kal'Hirol of all darkspawn and returned the city to the dwarves.

Nathaniel Howe is the son of the treacherous and murderous Arl Rendon Howe. Nathaniel was captured sneaking into Vigil's Keep to exact his revenge against the Grey Warden's. When Maleth met Nathaniel, he saw potential in him and asked him to join the Wardens to clear his family name. Maleth gained not only a trustworthy friend and a superb archer. He could definitely give Lelianna a run for her money.

Oghren is a dwarf from the dwarven city of Orzammar. During the Blight, Maleth met Oghren while he was trying to put together an army. Oghren was in search of his missing wife Branka. When they found her she was driven mad with power. Maleth had no choice but to kill her. With nothing left to keep him in Orzammar, Oghren left with Maleth. Together they defeated the Arch-demon and ended the Blight. Oghren later found Maleth to officially join the Grey Wardens.

Helmut was Maleth's mabari. Long before Maleth became a Warden, he traveled with Duncan to Ostagar. While there he helped the mabari trainer heal his hounds. As a favor to Maleth, the trainer allowed a mabari to imprint on Maleth. After the horrific fall of Ostagar, Helmut found Maleth on the road to Lothering. The two have been inseparable ever since.

Maleth took it all in as he looked around the room. He saw Varel and Woolsey engaged in a serious conversation.

Varel looked up noticing Maleth's arrival. "Commander Maleth, how are you this fine morning?" He greeted Maleth with a warm smile.

"I am grateful to the Maker to see another day. Tell me Varel, what is the need for such urgency?" Maleth had hint of concern in his voice.

Varel's smile disappeared. " Well Ser, it seems as if the once haunted Marshlands are indeed inhabited again."


End file.
